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Horizontal Caving

See the list of current leaders, here, or visit our Meet Our Leaders page! To become a leader, practice the following skills and ask a current leader for help and advice. 

Prerequisites:

• Prospective Leader (being given the ghost lead) must have attended 2 club caving trips prior to receiving a ghost lead
• The ghost leader (giving the ghost lead) must have led 2 of their own trips and successfully completed that year’s knowledge check before being allowed to give someone a ghost lead
• The prospective leader must take 2 separate trips to 2 different caves they have never been to before for their ghost leads

LEADERSHIP SKILLS:

• Must give cave speech prior to cave entry (emergency info/bats/don’t touch formations (and what they look like)/pass back info)
• Anticipates food and water needs for trips
• Considers conditions and group morale when making decisions on when to turn around (Leaders will NOT be failed for turning around a trip if conditions warrant)
• Makes an appropriate callout with required information to a trusted and informed individual
• Discuss what common cave terminology means: Karst, formations, sump, etc.
• Inform beginners on cave ethics: pix/footprints/time
• Keep track of club gear and ensure it’s returned to the E-room

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

• Fitting/maintenance of caving helmets, headlamps, knee pads, and cave suits
• Explain common features of a cave map and what they indicate (slopes, passage heights/depths, cross sections, water filled passages, etc.)
• Demonstrates ability to plan a cave trip with a map (when applicable) that is appropriate for the skill level of the group (and then actually sticks to the plan/explains deviations)
• Cave Packs – what goes in them and why (What is/when to use a Swago)
• Describe the pros/cons of various fabrics when wet, including what is/when to use neoprene
  • Give examples of layering systems for dry and wet caves
• Demonstrate the ability to safely cross varied cave terrain such as: muddy/loose slopes, deep pools/streams, small climbs/descents, tight crawls, and exposed areas (those with drops beneath/next to)
• Demonstrate knowledge and ability of how to place and use webbing hand line when necessary
• Operate/repair electric headlamps
• First Aid Packs – What goes in them and why
• Demonstrate and explain how to tie (with webbing)
  • Water knot
  • Alpine butterfly
  • Overhand on a bight
  • Daisy chain

WHAT CAVING LEADERS MUST BRING ON TRIPS:

• Personal caving gear
• Personal medications
• Extra lights for group members without/that forgot
• An extra non-cotton warm layer that will fit anyone on the trip in case of emergency
• Food and water
• Trash bag folded up and stuffed inside of helmet for hypothermia tent
• Group cave pack, packed and inspected by leader
• First Aid kit
• Up to date emergency cave rescue phone numbers for appropriate state
• Extra batteries
• Webbing for handlines

WHAT LEADER MUST ENSURE INDIVIDUALS BRING ON CAVING TRIPS:

• Helmet
• Headlamps (2)
• Gloves
• Knee pads
• Chang of clothes AND shoes
• Trash bag for muddy clothes
• Base layers, NON COTTON (Neoprene if appropriate)
• Gas money
• Food and water to snack
• Personal medications

For this list in PDF Format, click here ()